Vol. IV, No. \ 
NEW YORK AND SYRACUSE 
May 1902 
JllE fourth year of Keramic Studio opens 
with an encouraging retrospect and a still 
more encouraging outlook. In modern 
design, especially, the influence of the maga- 
zine has borne fruit which we trust will 
ripen in the future, even beyond our expec- 
tations. It is a case of " casting bread 
upon the waters," for no longer need we be 
compelled to publish inferior designs for lack of better mate- 
rial. It is with pride we announce that the competitive work 
in modern design is of so great average merit that the award- 
ing of prizes was exceedingly embarrassing, in consequence of 
which four second prizes have been selected and a number of 
honorable mentions, each one of which may be considered as 
a close candidate for first honors. 
It is to be regretted that those who have complained that 
our naturalistic designs were not equal to our conventional 
ones in merit, have not made a greater effort to show us what 
good work can be done in that line. We certainly can not 
publish what we can not procure. There were so few really 
good things sent in for this part of the competition that we 
have decided to extend the time for sending in naturalistic 
studies until June 25th, trusting that more enthusiasm may be 
shown. We certainly need good naturalistic studies both for 
that line of painting and for conventional work. 
For some reason the historic ornament designs have also 
been neglected. This competition, too, will be extended to 
June 25th. We would ask of our workers in this line to avoid 
as much as possible the style of last year's prize designs, to 
open out new paths into the ancient realms of decorative 
arts. There are many nations whose decorative motives can 
be adapted with grace and fitness — Chinese, Egyptian, Slav 
and Celt, Greek and Persian and our own aboriginal Indian. 
The awards in the annual competition of Modern Keramic 
Designs are as follows : 
First Prize, $10.00— Punch bowl, design of Barberries, 
Miss JeannetteW. Kimball, Boston, pupil of Miss Amy Sacker. 
Second Prizes, $5.00 each — Plate design, Dogwood, Miss 
Katherine Sinclair, Brooklyn, N. Y., pupil of Mr. Hugo Fro- 
lich, Pratt Institute; plate design, flowers, Miss Margaret 
Overbeck, Cambridge City, Indiana, De Pauw University ; vase 
design, Anemone, Mr. Russell Goodwin, Marblehead, Mass., 
pupil of Miss Amy Sacker, Boston ; vase design, trees, Miss 
Olive Forbes Sherman, Alfred, N. Y., State School of Ceramics. 
First Mentions — Punch bowl, grapes, Miss Ethel Pierce 
Clements, North Easton, Mass., pupil of Miss Amy Sacker, 
Boston ; three designs for table ware, Miss Emily Peacock, 
Brooklyn, N. Y., pupil of Mr. Hugo Frolich, Pratt Institute; 
cup and saucer, Miss Edith Loucks, Oak Park, 111. ; cup and 
saucer, landscape, and plate, peacock feathers, Mr. Charles Bab- 
cock, Seneca Falls, N. Y. ; hand mirror, flower, Miss Lucia 
Soule, Melrose, Mass., pupil of Miss Amy Sacker; Miss 
Jeannette W. Kimball and Miss Sinclair also had mentions 
for other designs beside the prizes. 
Second Mentions — Miss Ethel Mundy, Boston, pupil of 
Miss Amy Sacker; Miss Ethel Philbrook, Boston, pupil of Miss 
Amy Sacker; Miss Gertrude Brown, Danielson, Conn.; Miss 
Miriam Saunders, State School of Ceramics, Alfred, N. Y. ; 
Mrs. Alice VVitte Sloan, Charleston, S. C. ; J. Rockwood Moul- 
ton, Brooklyn, N. Y., pupil of Hugo Frolich, Pratt Institute ; 
Geo. Hoel, School of Ceramics, Alfred, N. Y. 
Beside these mentions there were a number of designs so 
good that it was exceedingly difficult to draw the line. There 
were sixty-five competitors and one hundred and seventy de- 
signs, very few of which but had some merit of originality or 
execution. The average work was so far above last year's as 
not to bear comparison. We consider that even many of the 
designs which received no mention show evidence of such 
growth that the designers need not despair of prize or men- 
tion another year. We were glad to note that many of last 
year's competitors tried again, it shows that they are in earn- 
est and have grit. Some unsuccessful designs suggest that a 
little advice to those who will try again another year may not 
be out of place here. 
When making a design for a plate, or any circular object, 
remember that a division into four parts is the least attractive 
arrangement, three' or five or more divisions would be much 
more pleasing. Pay strict attention to the "spotting" or dark 
and light effect. A good plan is to always look at a design in 
a mirror or hold it at a distance, so that you see only the 
placing of the masses of dark and light, noticing particularly 
not only the silhouette of the design, but also of the back- 
ground. Study also the proportion of bands and the division 
of spaces, training the eye and artistic sense, so that errors 
will be spontaneously avoided. 
Simplify your designs, do not put enough material for two 
or three designs in one. If you have more than one good idea 
make several separate designs, on the principle that what may 
look well by itself may be spoiled by crowding or by contrast 
with something perhaps as good but not in harmony. Make 
good, clean drawings with a firm line or clean washes, untidi- 
ness or carelessness detracts from even the best original work, 
and a shaky line of uneven thickness, or a cloudy, spotty wash, 
give a suggestion of infirmity which is exceedingly distasteful. 
Use black India ink, a good pen and a good quality of Bristol 
board, or for wash drawings, a fine, smooth Whatman paper. 
A few words on naturalistic wash drawings in black and 
white may be of assistance to those desiring to enter the com- 
petition of June 25th. First, in making your sketch, center 
the interest on one principal cluster, making the drawing suffi- 
ciently exact, that the botanical anatomy of flower, leaf, bud 
and stem may be unmistakable and everyone may know exactly 
what the flower is and how constructed. Then make the bal- 
ance of the design subordinate, losing more and more detail 
as you desire to give the effect of linear perspective. This 
principal cluster should have the strongest light and shade, 
the balance of the design being greyer in tone and fading away 
to give aerial perspective. Whatever detail is used in the 
